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Global Limitation

(LLMC)
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Disclaimer
The information contained in this publication is provided for general information purposes only. Whilst we have taken every care to ensure the accuracy and quality of the
information provided, Gard AS can accept no responsibility in respect of any loss or damage of any kind whatsoever which may arise from reliance on information contained in this
publication regardless of whether such information originates from Gard AS, its shareholders, correspondents or other contributors.
Contents
International Convention relating to the Limitation of Liability of Owners of Sea-Going Ships (1957 Limitation Con-
vention) ......................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Convention on limitation of liability for maritime claims 1976 (1976 Limitation Convention) ................................... 7
Protocol of 1996 to amend the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976 (1996 Protocol) 14
Africa - map .................................................................................................................................................................... 18
Africa - table ................................................................................................................................................................... 19
North America - map ..................................................................................................................................................... 20
North America - table ................................................................................................................................................... 21
South America - map and table ................................................................................................................................... 23
Asia - map ...................................................................................................................................................................... 24
Asia - table ..................................................................................................................................................................... 25
Australia and Pacic - map............................................................................................................................................ 28
Australia and Pacic - table .......................................................................................................................................... 29
Europe - map ................................................................................................................................................................. 31
Europe - table ................................................................................................................................................................ 32
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International Convention relating to the Limitation of Liability
of Owners of Sea-Going Ships (1957 Limitation Convention)
THE HIGH CONTRACTING PARTIES,
HAVING RECOGNISED the desirability of determining by agreement certain uniform
rules relating to the limitation of the liability of owners of sea-going ships;
HAVE DECIDED to conclude a Convention for this purpose, and thereto have agreed as
follows:
Article 1
(1) The owner of a sea-going ship may limit his liability in accordance with Article 3
of this Convention in respect of claims arising from any of the following occurrences,
unless the occurrence giving rise to the claim resulted from the actual fault or privity of
the owner:
(a) loss of life of, or personal injury to, any person being carried in the ship, and loss of,
or damage to, any property on board the ship;
(b) loss of life of, or personal injury to, any other person, whether on land or on water,
loss of or damage to any other property or infringement of any rights caused by the
act, neglect or default of any person on board the ship for whose act, neglect or
default the owner is responsible or any person not on board the ship for whose act,
neglect or default the owner is responsible: Provided however that in regard to the act,
neglect or default of this last class of person, the owner shall only be entitled to limit
his liability when the act, neglect or default is one which occurs in the navigation or the
management of the ship or in the loading, carriage or discharge of its cargo or in the
embarkation, carriage or disembarkation of its passengers;
(c) any obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and
arising from or in connection with the raising, removal or destruction of any ship which
is sunk, stranded or abandoned (including anything which may be on board such ship)
and any obligation or liability arising out of damage caused to harbour works, basins
and navigable waterways.
(2) In the present Convention the expression personal claims means claims resulting
from loss of life and personal injury; the expression property claims means all other
claims set out in paragraph 1 of this Article.
(3) An owner shall be entitled to limit his liability in the cases set out in paragraph (1) of
this Article even in cases where his liability arises, without proof of negligence on the
part of the owner or of persons for whose conduct he is responsible, by reason of his
ownership, possession, custody or control of the ship.
(4) Nothing in this Article shall apply:

(a) to claims for salvage or to claims for contribution in general average;

(b) to claims by the Master, by members of the crew, by any servants of the owner on
board the ship or by servants of the owner whose duties are connected with the ship,
including the claims of their heirs, personal representatives or dependents, if under the
law governing the contract of service between the owner and such servants the owner
is not entitled to limit his liability in respect of such claims or if he is by such law only
permitted to limit his liability to an amount greater than that provided for in Article 3 of
this Convention.
(5) If the owner of a ship is entitled to make a claim against a claimant arising out of
the same occurrence, their respective claims shall be set off against each other and the
provisions of this Convention shall only apply to the balance, if any.
(6) The question upon whom lies the burden of proving whether or not the occurrence
giving rise to the claim resulted from the actual fault or privity of the owner shall be
determined by the lex fori.
(7) The act of invoking limitation of liability shall not constitute an admission of liability.
Article 2
(1) The limit of liability prescribed by Article 3 of this Convention shall apply to the
aggregate of personal claims and property claims which arise on any distinct occasion
without regard to any claims which have arisen or may arise on any other distinct
occasion.
(2) When the aggregate of the claims which arise on any distinct occasion exceeds
the limits of liability provided for by Article 3 the total sum representing such limits of
liability may be constituted as one distinct limitation fund.
(3) The fund thus constituted shall be available only for the payment of claims in respect
of which limitation of liability can be invoked.
(4) After the fund has been constituted, no claimant against the fund shall be entitled
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to exercise any right against any other assets of the shipowner in respect of his claim
against the fund, if the limitation fund is actually available for the benet of the
claimant.
Article 3
(1) The amounts to which the owner of a ship may limit his liability under Article 1 shall
be:

(a) where the occurrence has only given rise to property claims an aggregate amount of
1,000 francs for each ton of the ships tonnage;

(b) where the occurrence has only given rise to personal claims an aggregate amount of
3,100 francs for each ton of the ships tonnage;

(c) where the occurrence has given rise both to personal claims and property claims an
aggregate amount of 3,100 francs for each ton of the ships tonnage, of which a rst
portion amounting to 2,100 francs for each ton of the ships tonnage shall be exclusively
appropriated to the payment of personal claims and of which a second portion
amounting to 1,000 francs for each ton of the ships tonnage shall be appropriated to
the payment of property claims: Provided however that in cases where the rst portion
is insufcient to pay the personal claims in full, the unpaid balance of such claims shall
rank rateably with the property claims for payment against the second portion of the
fund.
(2) In each portion of the limitation fund the distribution among the claimants shall be
made in proportion to the amounts of their established claims.
(3) If before the fund is distributed the owner has paid in whole or in part any of the
claims set out in Article 1 paragraph (1), he shall pro tanto be placed in the same
position in relation to the fund as the claimant whose claim he has paid, but only to the
extent that the claimant whose claim he has paid would have had a right of recovery
against him under the national law of the State where the fund has been constituted.
(4) Where the shipowner establishes that he may at a later date be compelled to pay in
whole or in part any of the claims set out in Article 1 paragraph (1) the Court or other
competent authority of the State where the fund has been constituted may order that a
sufcient sum shall be provisionally set aside to enable the shipowner at such later date
to enforce his claim against the fund in the manner set out in the preceding paragraph.
(5) For the purpose of ascertaining the limit of an owners liability in accordance with the
provisions of this Article the tonnage of a ship of less than 300 tons shall be deemed to
be 300 tons.
(6) The franc mentioned in this Article shall be deemed to refer to a unit consisting of
sixty ve and a half milligrams of gold of millesimal neness nine hundred. The amounts
mentioned in paragraph (1) of this Article shall be converted into the national currency
of the State in which limitation is sought on the basis of the value of that currency by
reference to the unit dened above at the date on which the shipowner shall have
constituted the limitation fund, made the payment or given a guarantee which under
the law of that State is equivalent to such payment.
(7) For the purpose of this convention tonnage shall be calculated as follows:
- in the case of steamships or other mechanically propelled ships there shall be taken
the net tonnage with the addition of the amount deducted from the gross tonnage on
account of engine room space for the purpose of ascertaining the net tonnage;
- in the case of all other ships there shall be taken the net tonnage.
Article 4
Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 3, paragraph (2), of this Convention, the
rules relating to the constitution and distribution of the limitation fund, if any, and all
rules of procedure shall be governed by the national law of the State in which the fund
is constituted.
Article 5
(1) Whenever a shipowner is entitled to limit his liability under this Convention, and the
ship or another ship or other property in the same ownership has been arrested within
the jurisdiction of a Contracting State or bail or other security has been given to avoid
arrest, the Court or other competent authority of such State may order the release of
the ship or other property or of the security given if it is established that the shipowner
has already given satisfactory bail or security in a sum equal to the full limit of his liability
under this Convention and that the bail or other security so given is actually available
for the benet of the claimant in accordance with his rights.
(2) Where, in circumstances mentioned in paragraph (1) of this Article, bail or other
security has already been given:

(a) at the port where the accident giving rise to the claim occurred;

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(b) at the rst port of call after the accident if the accident did not occur in a port;

(c) at the port of disembarkation or discharge if the claim is a personal claim or relates
to damage to cargo;
the Court or other competent authority shall order the release of the ship or the bail or
other security given, subject to the conditions set forth in paragraph (1) of this Article.
(3) The provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Article shall apply likewise if the bail
or other security already given is in a sum less than the full limit of liability under this
Convention: Provided that satisfactory bail or other security is given for the balance.
(4) When the shipowner has given bail or other security in a sum equal to the full limit
of his liability under this Convention such bail or other security shall be available for
the payment of all claims arising on a distinct occasion and in respect of which the
shipowner may limit his liability.
(5) Questions of procedure relating to actions brought under the provisions of this
Convention and also the time limit within which such actions shall be brought or
prosecuted shall be decided in accordance with the national law of the Contracting
State in which the action takes place.
Article 6
(1) In this Convention the liability of the shipowner includes the liability of the ship
herself.
(2) Subject to paragraph (3) of this Article, the provisions of this Convention shall apply
to the charterer, manager and operator of the ship, and to the master, members of
the crew and other servants of the owner, charterer, manager or operator acting in
the course of their employment, in the same way as they apply to an owner himself:
Provided that the total limits of liability of the owner and all such other persons in
respect of personal claims and property claims arising on a distinct occasion shall not
exceed the amounts determined in accordance with Article 3 of this Convention.
(3) When actions are brought against the master or against members of the crew such
persons may limit their liability even if the occurrence which gives rise to the claims
resulted from the actual fault or privity of one or more of such persons. If, however,
the master or member of the crew is at the same time the owner, co-owner, charterer,
manager or operator of the ship the provisions of this paragraph shall only apply where
the act, neglect or default in question is an act, neglect or default committed by the
person in question in his capacity as master or as member of the crew of the ship.
Article 7
This Convention shall apply whenever the owner of a ship, or any other person having
by virtue of the provisions of Article 6 hereof the same rights as an owner of a ship,
limits or seeks to limit his liability before the Court of a Contracting State or seeks to
procure the release of a ship or other property arrested or the bail or other security
given within the jurisdiction of any such State.
Nevertheless, each Contracting State shall have the right to exclude, wholly or partially,
from the benets of this Convention any non-Contracting State, or any person who,
at the time when he seeks to limit his liability or to secure the release of a ship or
other property arrested or the bail or other security in accordance with the provisions
of Article 5 hereof, is not ordinarily resident in a Contracting State, or does not have
his principal place of business in a Contracting State, or any ship in respect of which
limitation of liability or release is sought which does not at the time specied above y
the ag of a Contracting State.
Article 8
Each Contracting State reserves the right to decide what other classes of ship shall be
treated in the same manner as sea-going ships for the purposes of this Convention.
Article 9
This Convention shall be open for signature by the States represented at the tenth
session of the Diplomatic Conference on Maritime Law.
Article 10
This Convention shall be ratied and the instruments of ratication shall be deposited
with the Belgian Government which shall notify through diplomatic channels all
signatory and acceding States of their deposits.
Article 11
(1) This Convention shall come into force six months after the date of deposit of at least
ten instruments of ratication, of which at least ve shall have been deposited by States
that have each a tonnage equal or superior to one million gross tons of tonnage.
(2) For each signatory State which raties the Convention after the date of deposit of
the instrument of ratication determining the coming into force such as is stipulated in
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paragraph (1) of this Article, this Convention shall come into force six months after the
deposit of their instrument of ratication.
Article 12
Any State not represented at the tenth session of the Diplomatic Conference on
Maritime Law may accede to this Convention.
The instruments of accession shall be deposited with the Belgian Government which
shall inform through diplomatic channels all signatory and acceding States of the
deposit of any such instruments.
The Convention shall come into force in respect of the acceding State six months after
the date of the deposit of the instrument of accession of that State, but not before the
date of entry into force of the Convention as established by Article 11(1).
Article 13
Each High Contracting Party shall have the right to denounce this Convention at any
time after the coming into force thereof in respect of such High Contracting Party.
Nevertheless, this denunciation shall only take effect one year after the date on which
notication thereof has been received by the Belgian Government which shall inform
through diplomatic channels all signatory and acceding States of such notication.
Article 14
(1) Any High Contracting Party may at the time of its ratication of or accession to this
Convention or at any time thereafter declare by written notication to the Belgian
Government that the Convention shall extend to any of the territories for whose
international relations it is responsible. The Convention shall six months after the date
of the receipt of such notication by the Belgian Government extend to the territories
named therein, but not before the date of the coming into force of this Convention in
respect of such High Contracting Party.
(2) Any High Contracting Party which has made a declaration under paragraph 1 of
this Article extending the Convention to any territory for whose international relations
it is responsible may at any time thereafter declare by notication given to the
Belgian Government that the Convention shall cease to extend to such territory. This
denunciation shall take effect one year after the date on which notication thereof has
been received by the Belgian Government.
(3) The Belgian Government shall inform through diplomatic channels all signatory and
acceding States of any notication received by it under this Article.
Article 15
Any High Contracting Party may three years after the coming into force of this
Convention in respect of such High Contracting Party or at any time thereafter request
that a Conference be convened in order to consider amendments to this Convention.
Any High Contracting Party proposing to avail itself of this right shall notify the Belgian
Government which shall convene the Conference within six months thereafter.
Article 16
In respect of the relations between States which ratify this Convention or accede to
it, this Convention shall replace and abrogate the International Convention for the
unication of certain rules concerning the limitation of the liability of the owners of sea-
going ships, signed at Brussels, on the 25th of August 1924.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the Plenipotentiaries, duly authorized, have signed this
Convention.
DONE at Brussels, this tenth day of October 1957, in the French and English languages,
the two texts being equally authentic, in a single copy, which shall remain deposited in
the archives of the Belgian Government, which shall issue certied copies.
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Convention on limitation of liability for maritime claims 1976
(1976 Limitation Convention)
THE STATES PARTIES TO THIS CONVENTION,

HAVING RECOGNIZED the desirability of determining by agreement certain uniform
rules relating to the limitation of liability for maritime claims,
HAVE DECIDED to conclude a Convention for this purpose and have thereto agreed as
follows:
Chapter I The Right of Limitation
Article 1
Persons entitled to limit liability
1. Shipowners and salvors, as hereinafter dened, may limit their liability in accordance
with the rules of this Convention for claims set out in Article 2.
2. The term shipowner shall mean the owner, charterer, manager and operator of a
seagoing ship.
3. Salvor shall mean any person rendering services in direct connexion with salvage
operations. Salvage operations shall also include operations referred to in Article 2,
paragraph 1 (d), (e) and (f).
4. If any claims set out in Article 2 are made against any person for whose act, neglect
or default the shipowner or salvor is responsible, such person shall be entitled to avail
himself of the limitation of liability provided for in this Convention.
5. In this Convention the liability of a shipowner shall include liability in an action
brought against the vessel herself.
6. An insurer of liability for claims subject to limitation in accordance with the rules of
this Convention shall be entitled to the benets of this Convention to the same extent
as the assured himself.
7. The act of invoking limitation of liability shall not constitute an admission of liability.
Article 2
Claims subject to limitation
1. Subject to Articles 3 and 4 the following claims, whatever the basis of liability may be,
shall be subject to limitation of liability:
(a) claims in respect of loss of life or personal injury or loss of or damage to property
(including damage to harbour works, basins and waterways and aids to navigation),
occurring on board or in direct connexion with the operation of the ship or with salvage
operations, and consequential loss resulting therefrom;
(b) claims in respect of loss resulting from delay in the carriage by sea of cargo,
passengers or their luggage;
(c) claims in respect of other loss resulting from infringement of rights other than
contractual rights, occurring in direct connexion with the operation of the ship or
salvage operations;
(d) claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a
ship which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or abandoned, including anything that is or has
been on board such ship;
(e) claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of the cargo
of the ship;
(f) claims of a person other than the person liable in respect of measures taken in order
to avert or minimize loss for which the person liable may limit his liability in accordance
with this Convention, and further loss caused by such measures.
2. Claims set out in paragraph 1 shall be subject to limitation of liability even if brought
by way of recourse or for indemnity under a contract or otherwise. However, claims set
out under paragraph 1 (d), (e) and (f) shall not be subject to limitation of liability to the
extent that they relate to remuneration under a contract with the person liable.
Article 3
Claims excepted from limitation
The rules of this Convention shall not apply to:

(a) claims for salvage or contribution in general average;
(b) claims for oil pollution damage within the meaning of the International Convention
on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, dated 29 November 1969 or of any
amendment or Protocol thereto which is in force;
(c) claims subject to any international convention or national legislation governing or
prohibiting limitation of liability for nuclear damage;
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(d) claims against the shipowner of a nuclear ship for nuclear damage;
(e) claims by servants of the shipowner or salvor whose duties are connected with
the ship or the salvage operations, including claims of their heirs, dependents or
other persons entitled to make such claims, if under the law governing the contract
of service between the shipowner or salvor and such servants the shipowner or salvor
is not entitled to limit his liability in respect of such claims, or if he is by such law only
permitted to limit his liability to an amount greater than that provided for in Article 6.
Article 4
Conduct barring limitation
A person liable shall not be entitled to limit his liability if it is proved that the loss
resulted from his personal act or omission, committed with the intent to cause such
loss, or recklessly and with knowledge that such loss would probably result.
Article 5
Counterclaims
Where a person entitled to limitation of liability under the rules of this Convention has
a claim against the claimant arising out of the same occurrence, their respective claims
shall be set off against each other and the provisions of this Convention shall only apply
to the balance, if any.
Chapter II Limits of Liability
Article 6
The general limits
1. The limits of liability for claims other than those mentioned in Article 7, arising on any
distinct occasion, shall be calculated as follows:
(a) in respect of claims for loss of life or personal injury,
(i) 333,000 Units of Account for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 500 tons,
(ii) for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that
mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 501 to 3,000 tons, 500 Units of Account;
- for each ton from 3,001 to 30,000 tons, 333 Units of Account;
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 250 Units of Account; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons 167 Units of Account;
(b) in respect of any other claims,
(i) 167,000 Units of Account for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 500 tons,
(ii) for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof the following amount in addition to that
mentioned
in (i):
- for each ton from 501 to 30,000 tons, 167 Units of Account:
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 125 Units of Account; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 83 Units of Account.
2. Where the amount calculated in accordance with paragraph 1 (a) is insufcient to
pay the claims mentioned therein in full, the amount calculated in accordance with
paragraph 1 (b) shall be available for payment of the unpaid balance of claims under
paragraph 1 (a) and such unpaid balance shall rank rateably with claims mentioned
under paragraph 1 (b).
3. However, without prejudice to the right of claims for loss of life or personal injury
according to paragraph 2, a State Party may provide in its national law that claims in
respect of damage to harbour works, basins and waterways and aids to navigation shall
have such priority over other claims under paragraph 1 (b) as is provided by that law.
4. The limits of liability for any salvor not operating from any ship or for any salvor
operating solely on the ship to, or in respect of which he is rendering salvage services,
shall be calculated according to a tonnage of 1,500 tons.
5. For the purpose of this Convention the ships tonnage shall be the gross tonnage
calculated in accordance with the tonnage measurement rules contained in Annex 1 of
the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships, 1969.
Article 7
The limit for passenger claims
1. In respect of claims arising on any distinct occasion for loss of life or personal injury
to passengers of a ship, the limit of liability of the shipowner thereof shall be an amount
of 46,666 Units of Account multiplied by the number of passsengers which the ship is
authorized to carry according to the ships certicate, but not exceeding 25 million Units
of Account.
2. For the purpose of this Article claims for loss of life or personal injury to passengers
of a ship shall mean any such claims brought by or on behalf of any person carried in
that ship:
(a) under a contract of passenger carriage, or
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(b) who, with the consent of the carrier, is accompanying a vehicle or live animals which
are covered by a contract for the carriage of goods.
Article 8
Unit of Account
1. The Unit of Account referred to in Articles 6 and 7 is the Special Drawing Right as
dened by the International Monetary Fund. The amounts mentioned in Articles 6
and 7 shall be converted into the national currency of the State in which limitation is
sought, according to the value of that currency at the date the limitation fund shall have
been constituted, payment is made, or security is given which under the law of that
State is equivalent to such payment. The value of a national currency in terms of the
Special Drawing Right, of a State Party which is a member of the International Monetary
Fund, shall be calculated in accordance with the method of valuation applied by the
International Monetary Fund in effect at the date in question for its operations and
transactions. The value of a national currency in terms of the Special Drawing Right,
of a State Party which is not a member of the International Monetary Fund, shall be
calculated in a manner determined by that State Party.
2. Nevertheless, those States which are not members of the International Monetary
Fund and whose law does not permit the application of the provisions of paragraph
1 may, at the time of signature without reservation as to ratication, acceptance or
approval or at the time of ratication, acceptance, approval or accession or at any
time thereafter, declare that the limits of liability provided for in this Convention to be
applied in their territories shall be xed as follows:
(a) in respect of Article 6, paragraph 1 (a) at an amount of:
(i) 5 million monetary units for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 500 tons;
(ii) for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that
mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 501 to 3,000 tons, 7,500 monetary units;
- for each ton from 3,001 to 30,000 tons, 5,000 monetary units;
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 3,750 monetary units; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 2,500 monetary units; and
(b) in respect of Article 6, paragraph 1 (b), at an amount of:
(i) 2.5 million monetary units for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 500 tons;
(ii) for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that
mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 501 to 30,000 tons, 2,500 monetary units;
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 1,850 monetary units; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 1,250 monetary units; and
(c) in respect of Article 7, paragraph 1, at an amount of 700,000 monetary units
multiplied by the number of passengers which the ship is authorized to carry according
to its certicate, but not exceeding 375 million monetary units.
Paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 6 apply correspondingly to sub-paragraphs (a) and (b) of
this paragraph.
3. The monetary unit referred to in paragraph 2 corresponds to sixty-ve and a half
milligrammes of gold of millesimal neness nine hundred. The conversion of the
amounts referred to in paragraph 2 into the national currency shall be made according
to the law of the State concerned.
4. The calculation mentioned in the last sentence of paragraph 1 and the conversion
mentioned in paragraph 3 shall be made in such a manner as to express in the
national currency of the State Party as far as possible the same real value for the
amounts in Articles 6 and 7 as is expressed there in units of account. States Parties
shall communicate to the depositary the manner of calculation pursuant to paragraph
1, or the result of the conversion in paragraph 3, as the case may be, at the time of
the signature without reservation as to ratication, acceptance or approval, or when
depositing an instrument referred to in Article 16 and whenever there is a change in
either.
Article 9
Aggregation of claims
1. The limits of liability determined in accordance with Article 6 shall apply to the
aggregate of all claims which arise on any distinct occasion:
(a) against the person or persons mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 1 and any person
for whose act, neglect or default he or they are responsible; or
(b) against the shipowner of a ship rendering salvage services from that ship and the
salvor or salvors operating from such ship and any person for whose act, neglect or
default he or they are responsible; or
(c) against the salvor or salvors who are not operating from a ship or who are operating
solely on the ship to, or in respect of which, the salvage services are rendered and any
person for whose act, neglect or default he or the, are responsible.
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2. The limits of liability determined in accordance with Article 7 shall apply to the
aggregate of all claims subject thereto which may, arise on any distinct occasion against
the person or persons mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 1 in respect of the ship
referred to in Article 7 and any person for whose act, neglect or default he or they are
responsible.
Article 10
Limitation of liability without constitution of a limitation fund
1. Limitation of liability may be invoked notwithstanding that a limitation fund as
mentioned in Article 11 has not been constituted. However, a State Party may provide in
its national law that, where an action is brought in its Courts to enforce a claim subject
to limitation, a person liable may only invoke the right to limit liability if a limitation
fund has been constituted in accordance with the provisions of this Convention or is
constituted when the right to limit liability is invoked.
2. If limitation of liability is invoked without the constitution of a limitation fund, the
provisions of Article 12 shall apply correspondingly.
3. Questions of procedure arising under the rules of this Article shall be decided in
accordance with the national law of the State Party in which action is brought.
Chapter III The Limitation Fund
Article 11
Constitution of the fund
1 Any person alleged to be liable may constitute a fund with the Court or other
competent authority in any State Party in which legal proceedings are instituted in
respect of claims subject to limitation. The fund shall be constituted in the sum of such
of the amounts set out in Articles 6 and 7 as are applicable to claims for which that
person may be liable, together with interest thereon from the date of the occurrence
giving rise to the liability until the date of the constitution of the fund. Any fund thus
constituted shall be available only for the payment of claims in respect of which
limitation of liability can be invoked.
2. A fund may be constituted, either by depositing the sum, or by producing a
guarantee acceptable under the legislation of the State Party where the fund is
constituted and considered to be adequate by the Court or other competent authority.
3. A fund constituted by one of the persons mentioned in paragraph 1 (a), (b) or (c)
or paragraph 2 of Article 9 or his insurer shall be deemed constituted by all persons
mentioned in paragraph 1 (a), (b) or (c) or paragraph 2, respectively.
Article 12
Distribution of the fund
1. Subject to the provisions of paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of Article 6 and of Article 7, the
fund shall be distributed among the claimants in proportion to their established claims
against the fund.
2. If, before the fund is distributed, the person liable, or his insurer, has settled a
claim against the fund such person shall, up to the amount he has paid, acquire by
subrogation the rights which the person so compensated would have enjoyed under
this Convention.
3. The right of subrogation provided for in paragraph 2 may also be exercised by
persons other than those therein mentioned in respect of any amount of compensation
which they may have paid, but only to the extent that such subrogation is permitted
under the applicable national law.
4. Where the person liable or any other person establishes that he may be compelled to
pay, at a later date, in whole or in part any such amount of compensation with regard to
which such person would have enjoyed a right of subrogation pursuant to paragraphs
2 and 3 had the compensation been paid before the fund was distributed, the Court or
other competent authority of the State where the fund has been constituted may order
that a sufcient sum shall be provisionally set aside to enable such person at such later
date to enforce his claim against the fund.
Article 13
Bar to other actions
1. Where a limitation fund has been constituted in accordance with Article 11, any
person having made a claim against the fund shall be barred from exercising any right
in respect of such claim against any other assets of a person by or on behalf of whom
the fund has been constituted.
2. After a limitation fund has been constituted in accordance with Article 11, any
ship or other property, belonging to a person on behalf of whom the fund has been
constituted, which has been arrested or attached within the jurisdiction of a State Party
for a claim which may be raised against the fund, or any security given, may be released
by order of the Court or other competent authority of such State. However, such release
shall always be ordered if the limitation fund has been constituted:
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(a) at the port where the occurrence took place, or, if it took place out of port, at the rst
port of call thereafter; or
(b) at the port of disembarkation in respect of claims for loss of life or personal injury; or
(c) at the port of discharge in respect of damage to cargo; or
(d) in the State where the arrest is made.
3. The rules of paragraphs 1 and 2 shall apply only if the claimant may bring a claim
against the limitation fund before the Court administering that fund and the fund is
actually available and freely transferable in respect of that claim.
Article 14
Governing law
Subject to the provisions of this Chapter the rules relating to the constitution and
distribution of a limitation fund, and all rules of procedure in connexion therewith, shall
be governed by the law of the State Party in which the fund is constituted.
Chapter IV Scope of Application
Article 15
1. This Convention shall apply whenever any person referred to in Article 1 seeks to
limit his liability before the Court of a State Party or seeks to procure the release of a
ship or other property or the discharge of any security given within the jurisdiction of
any such State. Nevertheless, each State Party may exclude wholly or partially from the
application of this Convention any person referred to in Article 1 who at the time when
the rules of this Convention are invoked before the Courts of that State does not have
his habitual residence in a State Party or does not have his principal place of business in
a State Party or any ship in relation to which the right of limitation is invoked or whose
release is sought and which does not at the time specied above y the ag of a State
Party.
2. A State Party may regulate by specic provisions of national law the system of
limitation of liability to be applied to vessels which are:
(a) according to the law of that State, ships intended for navigation on inland waterways;
(b) ships of less than 300 tons.

A State Party which makes use of the option provided for in this paragraph shall inform
the depositary of the limits of liability adopted in its national legislation or of the fact
that there are none.
3. A State Party may regulate by specic provisions of national law the system of
limitation of liability to be applied to claims arising in cases in which interests of persons
who are nationals of other States Parties are in no way involved.
4. The Courts of a State Party shall not apply this Convention to ships constructed for, or
adapted to, and engaged in, drilling:
(a) when that State has established under its national legislation a higher limit of liability
than that otherwise provided for in Article 6; or
(b) when that State has become party to an international convention regulating the
system of liability in respect of such ships.
In a case to which sub-paragraph (a) applies that State Party shall inform the depository
accordingly.
5. This Convention shall not apply to:
(a) air-cushion vehicles;

(b) oating platforms constructed for the purpose of exploring or exploiting the natural
resources of the sea-bed or the subsoil thereof.
Chapter V Final Clauses
Article 16
Signature, ratication and accession
1. This Convention shall be open for signature by all States at the Headquarters of
the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (hereinafter referred to as
the Organization) from 1 February 1977 until 31 December 1977 and shall thereafter
remain open for accession.
2. All States may become parties to this Convention by:
(a) signature without reservation as to ratication, acceptance or approval; or
(b) signature subject to ratication, acceptance or approval followed by ratication,
acceptance or approval; or
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(c) accession.
3. Ratication, acceptance, approval or accession shall be effected by the deposit
of a formal instrument to that effect with the Secretary-General of the Organization
(hereinafter referred to as the Secretary-General).
Article 17
Entry into force
1. This Convention shall enter into force on the rst day of the month following one
year after the date on which twelve States have either signed it without reservation as
to ratication, acceptance or approval or have deposited the requisite instruments of
ratication, acceptance, approval or accession.
2. For a State which deposits an instrument of ratication, acceptance, approval or
accession, or signs without reservation as to ratication, acceptance or approval, in
respect of this Convention after the requirements for entry into force have been met but
prior to the date of entry into force, the ratication, acceptance, approval or accession
or the signature without reservation as to ratication, acceptance or approval, shall
take effect on the date of entry into force of the Convention or on the rst day of the
month following the ninetieth day after the date of the signature or the deposit of the
instrument, whichever is the later date.
3. For any State which subsequently becomes a Party to this Convention, the
Convention shall enter into force on the rst day of the month following the expiration
of ninety days after the date when such State deposited its instrument.
4. In respect of the relations between States which ratify, accept, or approve this
Convention or accede to it, this Convention shall replace and abrogate the International
Convention relating to the Limitation of the Liability of Owners of Sea-going Ships,
done at Brussels on 10 October 1957, and the International Convention for the
Unication of certain Rules relating to the Limitation of Liability of the Owners of Sea-
going Vessels, signed at Brussels on 25 August 1924.
Article 18
Reservations
1. Any State may, at the time of signature, ratication, acceptance, approval or
accession, reserve the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1 (d)
and (e). No other reservations shall be admissible to the substantive provisions of this
Convention.
2. Reservations made at the time of signature are subject to conrmation upon
ratication, acceptance or approval.
3. Any State which has made a reservation to this Convention may withdraw it at any
time by means of a notication addressed to the Secretary-General. Such withdrawal
shall take effect on the date the notication is received. If the notication states that the
withdrawal of a reservation is to take effect on a date specied therein, and such date is
later than the date the notication is received by the Secretary-General, the withdrawal
shall take effect on such later date.
Article 19
Denunciation
1. This Convention may be denounced by a State Party at any time after one year from
the date on which the Convention entered into force for that Party.
2. Denunciation shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument with the Secretary-
General.
3. Denunciation shall take effect on the rst day of the month following the expiration of
one year after the date of deposit of the instrument, or after such longer period as may
be specied in the instrument.
Article 20
Revision and amendment
1. A Conference for the purpose of revising or amending this Convention may be
convened by the Organization.
2. The Organization shall convene a Conference of the States Parties to this Convention
for revising or amending it at the request of not less than one-third of the Parties.
3. After the date of the entry into force of an amendment to this Convention, any
instrument of ratication, acceptance, approval or accession deposited shall be
deemed to apply to the Convention as amended, unless a contrary intention is
expressed in the instrument.
Article 21
Revision of the limitation amounts and of Unit of Account or monetary unit
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 20, a Conference only for the purposes of
altering the amounts specied in Articles 6 and 7 and in Article 8, paragraph 2, or of
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substituting either or both of the Units dened in Article 8, paragraphs 1 and 2, by other
units shall be convened by the Organization in accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3 of
this Article. An alteration of the amounts shall be made only because of a signicant
change in their real value.
2. The Organization shall convene such a Conference at the request of not less than
one-fourth of the States Parties.
3. A decision to alter the amounts or to substitute the Units by other units of account
shall be taken by a two-thirds majority of the States Parties present and voting in such
Conference.
4. Any State depositing its instrument of ratication, acceptance, approval or accession
to the Convention, after entry into force of an amendment, shall apply the Convention
as amended.
Article 22
Depository
1. This Convention shall be deposited with the Secretary-General.
2. The Secretary-General shall:
(a) transmit certied true copies of this Convention to all States which were invited to
attend the Conference on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims and to any other
States which accede to this Convention.
(b) inform all States which have signed or acceded to this Convention of:
(i) each new signature and each deposit of an instrument and any reservation thereto
together with the date thereof:
(ii) the date of entry into force of this Convention or any amendment thereto;
(iii) any denunciation of this Convention and the date on which it takes effect;
(iv) any amendment adopted in conformity with Articles 20 or 21;
(v) any communication called for by any Article of this Convention.
3. Upon entry into force of this Convention, a certied true copy thereof shall be
transmitted by the Secretary-General to the Secretariat of the United Nations for
registration and publication in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United
Nations.
Article 23
Languages
This Convention is established in a single original in the English, French, Russian and
Spanish languages, each text being equally authentic.
DONE AT LONDON this nineteenth day of November one thousand nine hundred and
seventy-six.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned being duly authorized for that purpose have
signed this Convention.
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Protocol of 1996 to amend the Convention on Limitation
of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976 (1996 Protocol)
THE PARTIES TO THE PRESENT PROTOCOL
CONSIDERING that it is desirable to amend the Convention on Limitation of Liability
for Maritime Claims, done at London on 19 November 1976, to provide for enhanced
compensation and to establish a simplied procedure for updating the limitation
amounts
HAVE AGREED as follows:
Article 1
For the purposes of this Protocol:
1. Convention means the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims,
1976.
2. Organization means the International Maritime Organization.
3. Secretary-General means the Secretary-General of the Organization.
Article 2
Article 3, subparagraph (a) of the Convention is replaced by the following text:
(a) claims for salvage, including, if applicable, any claim for special compensation under
article 14 of the International Convention on Salvage 1989, as amended, or contribution
in general average;
Article 3
Article 6, paragraph 1 of the Convention is replaced by the following text:

1. The limits of liability for claims other than those mentioned in article 7, arising on any
distinct occasion, shall be calculated as follows:
(a) in respect of claims for loss of life or personal injury,
(i) 2 million Units of Account for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 2,000 tons,
(ii) for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that
mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 2,001 to 30,000 tons, 800 Units of Account;
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 600 Units of Account; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 400 Units of Account,
(b) in respect of any other claims,
(i) 1 million Units of Account for at ship with a tonnage not exceeding 2,000 tons,
(ii) for at ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that
mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 2,001 to 30,000 tons, 400 Units of Account;
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 300 Units of Account; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 200 Units of Account.
Article 4
Article 7, paragraph 1 of the Convention is replaced by the following text:
1. In respect of claims arising on any distinct occasion for loss of life or personal injury
to passengers of a ship, the limit of liability of the shipowner thereof shall be an amount
of 175,000 Units of Account multiplied by the number of passengers which the ship is
authorized to carry according to the ships certicate.
Article 5
Article 8, paragraph 2 of the Convention is replaced by the following text:
2. Nevertheless, those States which are not members of the International Monetary
Fund and whose law does not permit the application of the provisions of paragraph
1 may, at the time of signature without reservation as to ratication, acceptance or
approval or at the time of ratication, approval or accession or at any time thereafter,
declare that the limits of liability provided for in this Convention to be applied in their
territories shall be xed as follows:
(a) in respect of article 6, paragraph 1 (a), at a amount of:
(i) 30 million monetary units for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 2,000 tons;
(ii) for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that
mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 2,001 to 30,000 tons, 12,000 monetary units;
- for each ton from 30,001 to 70,000 tons, 9,000 monetary units; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 6,000 monetary units; and
(b) in respect of article 6, paragraph 1 (b), at an amount of:
(i) 15 million monetary units for a ship with a tonnage not exceeding 2,000 tons;
(ii) for a ship with a tonnage in excess thereof, the following amount in addition to that
mentioned in (i):
- for each ton from 2,001 to 30,000 tons, 6,000 monetary units;
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- for each ton from 30.001 to 70,000 tons, 4,500 monetary units; and
- for each ton in excess of 70,000 tons, 3,000 monetary units; and
(c) in respect of article 7, paragraph 1, at an amount of 2,625,000 monetary units
multiplied by the number of passengers which the ship is authorized to carry according
to its certicate.
Paragraphs 2 and 3 of article 6 apply correspondingly to subparagraphs (a) and (b) of
this paragraph.
Article 6
The following text is added as paragraph 3 bisin article 15 of the Convention:
3bis Notwithstanding the limit of liability prescribed in paragraph 1 of article 7, a State
Party may regulate by specic provisions of national law the system of liability to be
applied to claims for loss of life or personal injury to passengers of a ship, provided that
the limit of liability is not lower than that prescribed in paragraph 1 of article 7. A State
Party which makes use of the option provided for in this paragraph shall inform the
Secretary-General of the limits of liability adopted or of the fact that there are none.
Article 7
Article 18, paragraph 1 of the Convention is replaced by the following text:
1. Any State may at the time of signature, ratication, acceptance, approval or
accession, or at any time thereafter, reserve the right:
(a) to exclude the application of article 2, paragraphs 1 (d) and (e);
(b) to exclude claims for damage within the meaning of theInternational Convention on
Liability and Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous
and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996 or of any amendment or protocol thereto.
No other reservations shall be admissible to the substantive provisions of this
Convention.
Article 8
Amendment of limits
1. Upon the request of at least on half, but in no case less than six, of the States Parties
to this Protocol, any proposal to amend the limits specied in article 6, paragraph
1, article 7, paragraph 1 and article 8, paragraph 2 of the Convention as amended
by this Protocol shall be circulated by the Secretary-General to all Members of the
Organization and to all Contracting States.
2. Any amendment proposed and circulated as above shall be submitted to the Legal
Committee of the Organization (the Legal Committee) for consideration at a date at
least six months after the date of its circulation.
3. All Contracting States to the Convention as amended by this Protocol, whether or not
Members of the Organization, shall be entitled to participate in the proceedings of the
Legal Committee for the consideration and adoption of amendments.
4. Amendments shall be adopted by a two-thirds majority of the Contracting States
to the Convention as amended by this Protocol present and voting in the Legal
Committee expanded as provided for in paragraph 3, on condition that at least on
half of the Contracting States to the Convention as amended by this Protocol shall be
present at the time of voting.
5. When acting on a proposal to amend the limits, the Legal Committee shall take into
account the experience of incidents and, in particular, the amount of damage resulting
therefrom, changes in the monetary values and the effect of the proposed amendment
on the cost of insurance.
6.
(a) No amendment of the limits under this article may be considered less than ve years
from the date on which this Protocol was opened for signature nor less than ve years
from the date of entry into force of a previous amendment under this article.
(b) No limit may be increased so as to exceed an amount which corresponds to the limit
laid down in the Convention as amended by this Protocol increased by six per cent per
year calculated on a compound basis from the date on which this Protocol was opened
for signature.
(c) No limit may be increased so as to exceed an amount which corresponds to the limit
laid down in the Convention as amended by this Protocol multiplied by three.
7. Any amendment adopted in accordance with paragraph 4 shall be notied by
the Organization to all Contracting States. The amendment shall be deemed to
have been accepted at the end of a period of eighteen months after the date of
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notication, unless within that period not less than one-fourth of the States that were
Contracting States at the time of the adoption of the amendment have communicated
to the Secretary-General that they do not accept the amendment, in which case the
amendment is rejected and shall have no effect.
8. An amendment deemed to have been accepted in accordance with paragraph 7 shall
enter into force eighteen months after its acceptance.
9. All Contracting States shall be bound by the amendment, unless they denounce
this Protocol in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2 of article 12 at least six months
before the amendment enters into force. Such denunciation shall take effect when the
amendment enters into force.
10. When an amendment has been adopted but the eighteen-month period for its
acceptance has not yet expired, a State which becomes a Contracting State during that
period shall be bound by the amendment if it enters into force. A State which becomes
a Contracting State after that period shall be bound by an amendment which has been
accepted in accordance with paragraph 7. In the cases referred to in this paragraph, a
State becomes bound by an amendment when that amendment enters into force, or
when this Protocol enters into force for that State, if later.
Article 9
1. The Convention and this Protocol shall, as between the Parties to this Protocol, be
read and interpreted together as one single instrument.
2. A State which is Party to this Protocol but not a Party to the Convention shall be
bound by the provisions of the Convention as amended by this Protocol in relation to
other States Parties hereto, but shall not be bound by the provisions of the Convention
in relation to States Parties only to the Convention.
3. The Convention as amended by this Protocol shall apply only to claims arising out of
occurrences which take place after the entry into force for each State of this Protocol.
4. Nothing in this Protocol shall affect the obligations of a State which is a Party both
to the Convention and to this Protocol with respect to a State which is a Party to the
Convention but not a Party to this Protocol.
Final clauses
Article 10
Signature, ratication, acceptance, approval and accession
1. This Protocol shall be open for signature at the Headquarters of the Organization
from 1 October 1996 to 30 September 1997 by all States.
2. Any State may express its consent to be bound by this Protocol by:
(a) signature without reservation as to ratication, acceptance or approval; or
(b) signature subject to ratication, acceptance or approval followed by ratication,
acceptance or approval; or
(c) accession
3. Ratication, acceptance, approval or accession shall be effected by the deposit of an
instrument to that effect with the Secretary-General.
4. Any instrument of ratication, acceptance, approval or accession deposited after the
entry into force of an amendment to the Convention as amended by this Protocol shall
be deemed to apply to the Convention so amended, as modied by such amendment.
Article 11
Entry into force
1. This Protocol shall enter into force ninety days following the date on which ten States
have expressed their consent to be bound by it.
2. For any State which expresses its consent to be bound by this Protocol after the
conditions in paragraph 1 for entry into force have been met, this Protocol shall enter
into force ninety days following the date of expression of such consent
Article 12
Denunciation
1. This Protocol may be denounced by any State Party at any time after the date on
which it enters into force for that State Party.
2. Denunciation shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of denunciation with
the Secretary-General.
3. A denunciation shall take effect twelve months, or such longer period as may be
specied in the instrument of denunciation, after its deposit with the Secretary-General.
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4. As between the States Parties to this Protocol, denunciation by any of them of the
Convention in accordance with article 19 thereof shall not be construed in any way as a
denunciation of the Convention as amended by this Protocol.
Article 13
Revision and amendment
1. A conference for the purpose of revising or amending this Protocol may be convened
by the Organization.
2. The Organization shall convene a conference of Contracting States to this Protocol
for revising or amending it at the request of not less than one-third of the Contracting
States.
Article 14
Depositary
1. This Protocol and any amendments adopted under article 8 shall be deposited with
the Secretary-General.
2. The Secretary-General shall:
(a) inform all States which have signed or acceded to this Protocol of:
(i) each new signature or deposit of an instrument together with the date thereof;
(ii) each declaration and communication under article 8, paragraph 2 of the Convention
as amended by this Protocol, and article 8, paragraph 4 of the Convention;
(iii) the date of entry into force of this Protocol;
(iv) any proposal to amend limits which has been made in accordance with article 8,
paragraph 1;
(v) any amendment which has been adopted in accordance with article 8, paragraph 4;
(vi) any amendment deemed to have been accepted under article 8, paragraph 7,
together with the date on which that amendment shall enter into force in accordance
with paragraphs 8 and 9 of that article;
(vii) the deposit of any instrument of denunciation of this Protocol together with the
date of the deposit and the date on which it takes effect:
(b) transmit certied true copies of this Protocol to all Signatory States and to all States
which accede to this Protocol.
3. As soon as this Protocol enters into force, the text shall be transmitted by the
Secretary-General to the Secretariat of the United Nations for registration and
publication in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.
Article 15
Languages
This Protocol is established in a single original in the Arabic, Chinese, English, Russian
and Spanish languages, each text being equally authentic.
DONE AT LONDON this second day of May one thousand nine hundred and ninety-six.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned, being duly authorized by their respective
Governments for that purpose, have signed this Protocol.
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Africa - map
Countries which have
ratied the 1996
Protocol to the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1957
Limitation Convention
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Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
Algeria 19th April 2004 1976 Limitation Convention
Benin 1st December 1986 1976 Limitation Convention
Congo 1st January 2005 1976 Limitation Convention
Egypt 1st July 1988 1976 Limitation Convention
Equatorial Guinea 1st August 1996 1976 Limitation Convention
Liberia 12 December 2008 1996 Protocol to The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides
the 1976 Limitation Convention for enhanced compensation and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts.
Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.

Madagascar 31st May 1968 1957 Limitation Convention Has acceded to the 1979 Protocol to the 1957 Limitation Convention, which:
(a) replaces the limitation amounts under Article 3, paragraph (1); and
(b) replaces Article 3, paragraph (6) by substituting the unit of account in Article 3, paragraph (1) for the
Special Drawing Rights (SDR) as defned by the International Monetary Fund. Alternative methods of
calculation are set out in the Protocol for countries which are not members of the International Monetary
Fund and which do not permit the application of the provisions relating to the SDR.
Mauritius 1st April 2003 1976 Limitation Convention
Nigeria 1st June 2004 1976 Limitation Convention
Seychelles 31st May 1968 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1
paragraph 1(c) reads: Any obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and
arising from or in connection with the raising, removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or
abandoned (including anything which may be on board such ship) and any obligation or liability arising out of
damage caused to harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.

Reserves the right to regulate by specifc provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be
applied to ships of less than 300 gross tons.
Sierra Leone 13th May 2004 1996 Protocol to The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides
the 1976 Limitation Convention for enhanced compensation and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts.
Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Zaire 31st May 1968 1957 Limitation Convention
Africa - table
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North America - map
Countries which have
ratied the 1996
Protocol to the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1957
Limitation Convention
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Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
Antigua and Barbuda 10 january 2010 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.
Bahamas 1st December 1986 1976 Limitation Convention
Barbados 1st September 1994 1976 Limitation Convention
Belize 1st December 1986 1976 Limitation Convention Accepted the Convention through accession by the UK. Applies the Convention provisionally and on the basis
of reciprocity; it can be assumed that ships fying the States party to the 1976 Limitation Convention will be
entitled to limit their liability in accordance with that Convention.
Canada 7th August 2008 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.
Cayman Islands 31st January 2011 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.
The reservations made by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland upon
ratifcation with respect to articles 18(1)(a) and (b), 2(1)(d) and (e), 15(2)(b), 6(1)(a)(i) and (1)(b)(i), and 15(3bis)
of the 1976 Convention as amended by the Protocol of 1996 will apply in respect of the Cayman Islands
Dominican Republic 31st May 1968 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1 paragraph
1(c) reads: Any obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and arising from or in
connection with the raising, removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or abandoned (including
anything which may be on board such ship) and any obligation or liability arising out of damage caused to
harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.

Reserves the right to regulate by specifc provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be
applied to ships of less than 300 gross tons.
Dominica 1st December 2001 1976 Limitation Convention
North America - table
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Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
Grenada 31st May 1968 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1 paragraph
1(c) reads: Any obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and arising from or in
connection with the raising, removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or abandoned (including
anything which may be on board such ship) and any obligation or liability arising out of damage caused to
harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.

Reserves the right to regulate by specifc provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be
applied to ships of less than 300 gross tons.
Jamaica 17th November 2005 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.
Mexico 1st September 1994 1976 Limitation Convention
St. Lucia 18th August 2004 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.
St. Vincent 31st May 1968 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1
& The Grenadines paragraph 1(c) reads: Any obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and
arising from or in connection with the raising, removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or
abandoned (including anything which may be on board such ship) and any obligation or liability arising out of
damage caused to harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.

Reserves the right to regulate by specifc provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be
applied to ships of less than 300 gross tons.
Trinidad & Tobago 1st July 2000 1976 Limitation Convention
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South America - map and table
Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
Guyana 1st April 1998 1976 Limitation Convention
Trinidad and Tobago 1st July 2000 1976 Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1996
Protocol to the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1957
Limitation Convention
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Asia - map
Countries which have
ratied the 1996
Protocol to the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1957
Limitation Convention
25
Gard AS, May 2013
Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
Azerbaijan 1st November 2004 1976 Limitation Convention
China - HK SAR 1st July 1997 1976 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2, paragraph 1 (d) of the Convention.
Article 2 paragraph 1 (d) reads: Claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless
of a ship which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board such
ship.
National law regulates the system of limitation of liability to be applied to vessels which are less than 300 gross
tons (pursuant to Article 15 paragraph 2(b) of the 1976 Limitation Convention.

The manner of calculation employed with respect to Article 8(i) of the Convention concerning the unit of
account shall be the method of valuation applied by the International Monetary Fund. The Convention will
continue to apply to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republich of China with
effect from 1st July 1997 with certain resolutions and declarations.
Cyprus 23rd March 2006 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
India 21 June 2011 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Iran 31st May 1968 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1 paragraph
1(c) reads: Any obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and arising from or in
connection with the raising, removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or abandoned (including
anything which may be on board such ship) and any obligation or liability arising out of damage caused to
harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.
Reserves the right to regulate by specic provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be
applied to ships of less than 300 gross tons.

Reserves the right to give effect to the Convention either by giving it the force of law or by including in national
legislation, in a form appropriate to that legislation, the provisions of the Convention.
Asia - table
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Israel 31st May 1968 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1 paragraph
1(c) reads: Any obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and arising from or in
connection with the raising, removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or abandoned (including
anything which may be on board such ship) and any obligation or liability arising out of damage caused to
harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.

Reserves the right to regulate by specic provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be
applied to ships of less than 300 gross tons.

Reserves the right to give effect to the Convention either by giving it the force of law or by including in national
legislation, in a form appropriate to that legislation, the provisions of the Convention.
Japan 1st August 2006 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2, paragraph 1 (d) of the Convention. Article 2
paragraph 1 (d) reads: Claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of
a ship which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board such
ship.

Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) of the Convention. Article 2 paragraph
1 (e) reads: claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo of a ship.
Lebanon 23rd June 1995 1957 Limitation Convention
Malaysia 10th February 2009 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Mongolia 27th December 2011 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Russian Federation 13th May 2004 1996 Protocol to amend the The Russian Federation reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2, paragraph 1(d) of the 1976
1976 Limitation Convention Convention (as amended by the 1996 Protocol) which relates to claims in respect of the raising, removal,
destruction or the rendering harmless of a ship which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or abandoned, including
anything that is or has been on board such ship.

The Russian Federation reserves the right to exclude the provisions of Article 2, paragraph 1(e) which relate to
claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo from a ship.

Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
27
Gard AS, May 2013
The Russian Federation reserves the right to exclude claims relating to damage in the meaning of the
International Convention on Liability and Compensation for Damage in connection with the Carriage of
Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea 1996 (HNS Convention 1996).

The Russian Federation shall by virtue of Article 3(e) of the 1976 Convention apply national law to claims for
personal injury or property caused to employees of shipowners or rescuers if the contract of employment
between the shipowner or rescuer and these employees is subject to the law of the Russian Federation.

The Russian Federation shall by virtue of Article 15, paragraph 3 of the Convention apply national law in respect
of claims for compensation for damage to persons or personal property directly connected with the operation
of the ship or with rescue operations if the shipowner and the person concerned or the rescuer and the person
concerned are organisations or citizens of the Russian Federation.

The Russian Federation shall by virtue of Article 15, paragraph 15 apply national law to claims for compensation
for personal injury or death of passengers on a ship, if the shipowner and passenger are organisations or
citizens of the Russian Federation.
Singapore 1st May 2005 1976 Limitation Convention
Syrian Arab Republic 1st January 2006 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Turkey 1st July 1998 1976 Limitation Convention
United Arab 1st March 1998 1976 Limitation Convention
Emirates
Yemen 1st December 1986 1976 Limitation Convention
Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
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Australia and Pacic - map
Countries which have
ratied the 1996
Protocol to the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1957
Limitation Convention
29
Gard AS, May 2013
Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
Australia 13th May 2004 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.

Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2, paragraph 1 (d) of the 1976 Convention. Article 2
paragraph 1 (d) reads: Claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a
ship which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board such
ship.

Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) of the Convention. Article 2 paragraph
1 (e) reads: claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo of a ship.
Cook Islands 12th June 2007 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.
Fiji 31st May 1968 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1 paragraph
1(c) reads: Any obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and arising from or in
connection with the raising, removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or abandoned (including
anything which may be on board such ship) and any obligation or liability arising out of damage caused to
harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.

Reserves the right to regulate by specifc provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be
applied to ships of less than 300 gross tons.
Kiribati 1st June 2007 1976 Limitation Convention
Marshall Islands 30th April 2006 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.
New Zealand 1st June 1994 1976 Limitation Convention
Niue 25 September 2012 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.

Australia and Pacic - table
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Papua New Guinea 14th September 1980 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1 paragraph
1(c) reads: Any obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and arising from or in
connection with the raising, removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or abandoned (including
anything which may be on board such ship) and any obligation or liability arising out of damage caused to
harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.

Reserves the right to regulate by specifc provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be
applied to ships of less than 300 gross tons.

Reserves the right to give effect to the Convention either by giving it the force of law or by including it in
national legislation, in a form appropriate to that legislation, the provisions of the Convention.
Pulau 28th December 2011 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976
Convention applies.
Samoa 16th August 2004 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976
Convention applies.
Solomon Islands 31st May 1968 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1 paragraph
1(c) reads: Any obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and arising from or in
connection with the raising, removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or abandoned (including
anything which may be on board such ship) and any obligation or liability arising out of damage caused to
harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.

Reserves the right to regulate by specifc provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be
applied to ships of less than 300 gross tons.
Tonga 13th May 2004 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976
Convention applies.
Tuvalu 12th April 2009 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976
Convention applies.

Vanuatu 1st January 1993 1976 Limitation Convention
Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
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Europe - map
Countries which have
ratied the 1996
Protocol to the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1976
Limitation Convention
Countries which have
ratied the 1957
Limitation Convention
32
Gard AS, May 2013
Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
Albania 6th September 2004 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
The provisions of the Protocol entered into force in Albania by national law prior to the Protocol itself coming into force
internationally (by the ratifcation of the 10 States as provided for in the Protocol).
Belgium 7th January 2010 1996 Protocol to the Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2, paragraph 1 (d) of the Convention. Article 2 paragraph 1 (d) reads:
1976 Limitation Convention Claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a ship which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or
abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board such ship.

Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) of the Convention. Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) reads:
claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo of a ship. Convention applies to vessels
navigating in inland waterways.
The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention
applies.
Bulgaria 2nd October 2005 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Croatia 13th August 2006 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention
applies.
Under the 1976 Convention, reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2, paragraph 1 (d) of the Convention. Article
2 paragraph 1 (d) reads: Claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a ship which is sunk,
wrecked, stranded or abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board such ship.

Under the 1976 Convention, reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) of the Convention. Article 2
paragraph 1 (e) reads: claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo of a ship.
Croatia eserves the right to exclude claims relating to damage in the meaning of the International Convention on Liability and
Compensation for Damage in connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea 1996 (HNS Convention
1996) or any protocol thereto.
Cyprus 23rd March 2006 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Europe - table
33
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Denmark 25th March 2004 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.

Denmark has utilised Article 15 (i) of the Convention to the effect that a person who has his habitual residence or principal place
of business in a State party to the 1976 Convention but not the 1996 Protocol, and seeks to limit his liability before a court
in Denmark whilst Denmark is a party to both the 1976 Convention and the 1996 Protocol, Denmark will accept limitations
according to the Convention of 1976.

Denmark intends to use the provisions of Article 15 paragraph 2 (b) by which a State party may regulate by national law the
system of limitation of liability to be applied to ships of less than 300 tons.

The Protocol does not apply to the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
Estonia 14th June 2011 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976
Convention applies.
The instrument of accession of the Republic of Estonia contained the following reservation: Pursuant to paragraph 1(b) of
article 18 of the Protocol of 1996 to amend the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976, the Republic of
Estonia reserves the right to exclude claims for damage within the meaning of the International Convention on Liability and
Compensation for Damage in Connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea, 1996, or any
amendments or protocol related thereto.
Finland 13th May 2004 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976
Convention applies.
France 23rd July 2007 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976
Convention applies.
Under the 1976 Convention, reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2, paragraph 1 (d) of the Convention. Article
2 paragraph 1 (d) reads: Claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a ship which is sunk,
wrecked, stranded or abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board such ship.

Under the 1976 Convention, reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) of the Convention. Article 2
paragraph 1 (e) reads: claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo of a ship. Furthermore,
under national law, no limit of liability is provided for vessels navigating on French internal waterways.
Georgia 1st June 1996 1976 Limitation Convention
Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
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Germany 13th May 2004 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.

Germany by virtue of Article 15 (2)(a) of the Convention, has declared that it will regulate the limitation of liability of ships
intended for navigation on inland waterways by national law (Act Relating to Private Law Aspects of Inland Navigation).

Germany, in accordance with Article 16 (2)(b) of the Convention, has declared that it shall regulate by national law the limitation
of liability for ships with a tonnage of up to 250 tons.
Gibraltar (UK) 1st December 1986 1976 Limitation Convention Gibraltar reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) of the Convention. Article 2 paragraph 1 (e)
reads claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo of a ship.
Greece 4 October 2009 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Hungary 2nd October 2008 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Iceland 15th February 2009 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Ireland 24th April 2012 1996 Protcol to the The 1996 Protcol updaets the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2, paragraph 1 (d) of the Convention. Article 2 paragraph 1 (d) reads:
Claims in respect of the 1976 Limitation Conventionraising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a ship which is
sunk, wrecked, stranded or abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board such ship.

Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) of the Convention. Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) reads:
claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo of a ship.
Latvia 17th july 2007 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.
Lithuania 13th December 2007 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation
1976 Limitation Convention and also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the
1976 Convention applies.
Luxembourg 8th June 2005 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
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Malta 13th May 2004 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Monaco 24th July 1977 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1 paragraph 1(c) reads: Any
obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and arising from or in connection with the raising,
removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or abandoned (including anything which may be on board such ship)
and any obligation or liability arising out of damage caused to harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.

Reserves the right to regulate by specifc provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be applied to ships of
less than 300 gross tons.

Reserves the right to give effect to the Convention either by giving it the force of law or by including it in national legislation, in
a form appropriate to that legislation, the provisions of the Convention.
Netherlands 23rd March 2011 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.

Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2, paragraph 1 (d) of the Convention. Article 2 paragraph 1 (d) reads:
Claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a ship which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or
abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board such ship.

Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) of the Convention. Article 2 paragraph 1 (e) reads:
claims in respect of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo of a ship.

National law (Act of June 14th 1989 (Staatsblad 239)) regulates the system of limitation of liability to be applied to vessels,
which according to the law of the Netherlands, are intended for navigation on inland waterways (pursuant to Article 15
paragraph 2(a) of the 1976 Limitation Convention). National law (Act of June 14th 1989 (Staatsblad 239)) regulates the system
of limitation of liability to be applied to vessels which are according to their construction intended exclusively or mainly for the
carriage of persons and have a tonnage of less than 300 gross tons, the limit of liability for claims other than for loss of life or
personal injury may be established at a lower level by national law than under the Convention.

Has signed but not ratifed the 1996 Protocol to the 1976 Limitation Convention which provides for enhanced compensation and
establishes a simplifed procedure for updating the limitation amounts. The absence of ratifcation means that the Netherlands
has not yet expressed its consent to be bound by the Protocol.
Norway 13th May 2004 1996 Protocol to the Norway, in accordance with Article 18 (i) of the 1976 Convention (as amended by Article 7 of the 1996
1976 Limitation Convention Protocol), reserves its right to exclude claims for damages within the meaning of the HNS Convention 1996. The Convention does
not apply to ships customised or adapted to drilling and/or engaged in drilling as the national law has established a higher limit
than that in Article 6 (pursuant to Article 15 paragraph 4(a) of the 1976 Limitation Convention).

In accordance with Article 18.1a of the 1976 Limitation Convention as amended by the 1996 Protocol, Norway reserves the right
to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1(d) and (e).
Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
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Poland 1st December 1986 1976 Limitation Convention The Polish National Bank will fx a rate of exchange of the SDR to the US Dollar according to the current rates of exchange
quoted by Reuters. The US dollar will be converted into Polish Zloties at the exchange rate quoted by the Polish National Bank
from their current table of foreign currencies.
Portugal 8th October 1968 1957 Limitation Convention Reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 1 paragraph 1(c) of the Convention. Article 1 paragraph 1(c) reads: Any
obligation or liability imposed by any law relating to the removal of wreck and arising from or in connection with the raising,
removal or destruction of any ship which is sunk, stranded or abandoned (including anything which may be on board such ship)
and any obligation or liability arising out of damage caused to harbour works, basins and navigable waterways.

Reserves the right to regulate by specifc provisions of national law the system of limitation of liability to be applied to ships of
less than 300 gross tons.

Reserves the right to give effect to the Convention either by giving it the force of law or by including it in national legislation, in
a form appropriate to that legislation, the provisions of the Convention.

Has ratifed the 1979 Protocol to the 1957 Limitation Convention, which: (a) replaces the limitation amounts under Article 3,
paragraph (1) of the 1957 Convention; and (b) replaces Article 3, paragraph (6) of the 1957 Convention by substituting the
unit of account in Article 3, paragraph (1) for the Special Drawing Rights (SDR) as defned by the International Monetary Fund.
Alternative methods of calculation are set out in the Protocol for countries which are not Members of the International Monetary
Fund and which do not permit the application of the provisions relating to the SDR.
Romania 10th June 2007 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Russian Federation 13th May 2004 1996 Protocol to amend the The Russian Federation reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2, paragraph 1(d) of the 1976
1976 Limitation Convention Convention (as amended by the 1996 Protocol) which relates to claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction or the
rendering harmless of a ship which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board
such ship.

The Russian Federation reserves the right to exclude the provisions of Article 2, paragraph 1(e) which relate to claims in respect
of the removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo from a ship.

The Russian Federation reserves the right to exclude claims relating to damage in the meaning of the International Convention
on Liability and Compensation for Damage in connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea 1996
(HNS Convention 1996).

The Russian Federation shall by virtue of Article 3(e) of the 1976 Convention apply national law to claims for personal injury or
property caused to employees of shipowners or rescuers if the contract of employment between the shipowner or rescuer and
these employees is subject to the law of the Russian Federation.

Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
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The Russian Federation shall by virtue of Article 15, paragraph 3 of the Convention apply national law in respect of claims for
compensation for damage to persons or personal property directly connected with the operation of the ship or with rescue
operations if the shipowner and the person concerned or the rescuer and the person concerned are organisations or citizens of
the Russian Federation.

The Russian Federation shall by virtue of Article 15, paragraph 15 apply national law to claims for compensation for personal
injury or death of passengers on a ship, if the shipowner and passenger are organisations or citizens of the Russian Federation.
Serbia 17 June 2013 1996 Protocol to amend the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Spain 29th May 2005 1996 Protocol to amend the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Sweden 20th October 2004 1996 Protocol to amend the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
Switzerland 1st April 1988 1976 Limitation Convention National law regulates the system of limitation of liability to be applied to vessels which according to the law of Switzerland are
intended for navigation on inland waterways (pursuant to Article 15 paragraph 2 (a) of the 1976 Limitation Convention).

Switzerland calculates the value of the Swiss Franc in SDR by reference to the value of the US dollar quoted on the Zurich
currency market and the SDR in US dollars calculated by the IMF.
United Kingdom 11th May 2004 1996 Protocol to the The 1996 Protocol updates the 1976 Convention in two respects. It provides for enhanced compensation and
1976 Limitation Convention also provides a tacit acceptance procedure for updating these amounts. Reservations made under the 1976 Convention applies.
The United Kingdom reserves the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1(d) of the Convention which relates
to claims in respect of the raising, removal, destruction, or the rendering harmless of a ship which is sunk, wrecked, stranded or
abandoned, including anything that is or has been on board such ship.

The United Kingdom has the right to exclude the application of Article 2 paragraph 1(e) which relates to claims in respect of the
removal, destruction or the rendering harmless of a cargo from a ship.

The United Kingdom reserves the right to exclude claims for damage within the meaning of the International Convention on
Liability and Compensation for Damage in connection with the Carriage of Hazardous and Noxious Substances by Sea 1996 (HNS
Convention 1996).

Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
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The United Kingdom intends to use the provisions of Article 15 paragraph 2(b) of the convention to regulate by national law the
system of limitation of liability to be applied to ships less than 300 tons.

The United Kingdom intends to use the provisions of Article 15(3)bis of the 1976 Convention to regulate by national law the
system of limitation of liability to be applied to passengers so that there will be no limit of liability in respect of death or personal
injury to passengers of a shop although separate per capita limits may apply under national law based on the Convention
relating to the Carriage of Passengers and their Luggage by Sea 1974 (Athens Convention).

The United Kingdoms ratifcation of the 1996 Protocol to the 1976 Convention does not extend to the Overseas Territories of the
United Kingdom.
United Kingdom 1st December 1986 1976 Limitation Convention The UK has declared its ratifcation of the 1976 Convention to be effective in respect of Jersey, Guernsey,
Territories Isle of man, Bermuda, British Virgin Isles, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Monserrat, Pitcairn, Saint Helena and
Dependencies, Turks and Caicos Islands, UK sovereign base areas of Akrotiri, Dhekelia in Cyprus, Anguilla British Antarctic
Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The UKs ratifcation of the 1996 Protocol
shall not extend to the Overseas Territories until the UKs denounciation is extended to these.
Country Date of entry into force Global Limitation Comments
Gard AS
Kittelsbuktveien 31
NO-4836 Arendal
P.O. Box 789 Stoa
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Norway
Tel: +47 37 01 91 00
Fax: +47 37 02 48 10
Gard AS
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Norway
Tel: +47 37 01 91 00
Fax: +47 55 17 40 01
Gard AS
Stperigt 2,
Aker Brygge
NO-0250 Oslo
Norway
Tel: +47 37 01 91 00
Fax: +47 24 13 22 33 (Energy)
Fax: +47 24 13 22 77 (Marine)
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85 Gracechurch Street
London EC3V 0AA
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)20 7444 7200
Fax: +44 (0)20 7623 8657
Gard (Japan) K.K.
Kawade Building, 5F
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Tokyo 105-0003
Japan
Tel: +81 (0)3 3503 9291
Fax: +81 (0)3 3503 9655
Gard (Sweden) AB
Vstra Hamngatan 5
SE-41117 Gothenburg
Sweden
Tel: +46 (0)31 743 7130
Fax: +46 (0)31 743 7150
Gard (HK) Ltd
Room 3505, 35F
The Centrium,
60 Wyndham Street
Central
Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2901 8688
Fax: +852 2869 1645
Oy Gard (Baltic) Ab
Bulevardi 46
FIN-00120 Helsinki
Finland
Tel: +358 9 6188 380
Fax: +358 9 6121 000
Gard (North America) Inc.
40 Fulton Street
New York, NY 10038
USA
Tel: +1 (0)212 425 5100
Fax: +1 (0)212 425 8147
www.gard.no
The Gard Group
Gard (Greece) Ltd.
2, A. Papanastasiou Avenue
185 34 Kastella, Piraeus
Greece
Tel: + 30 210 413 8750
Fax: + 30 210 413 8751
Lingard Limited
17A Brunswick Street
Hamilton HM NX
Bermuda
Tel: +1 441 292 6766
Fax: +1 441 292 7120
Web: www.lingard.bm
Email: companymail@lingard.bm

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